Gas lighteb



C. F LARSEN.

GAS LIGHTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 192].

1,41 6,098., Patented May 16, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. LARSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

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Specification of Letters Patent. P t t May 1922 Application filed September 2, 1921. Serial No. 497,820.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. LARsEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gas Lighters, of which the following is a .full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to .devices for use in lighting gas stoves, lamps, and the like, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

- vice in constant operative engagement with a striking member.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the striking element and a coroperative pyrophoric element are encased and consequently protected from the action of grease, oil; dirt and other foreign matter that might detrimentally affect the operation of the device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a gas lighter in which a removable pyrophoric element is held in engagement with a striker, whereby the pyrophoric element may be replaced readily.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section show-- ing a lighter embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the devrce, Figure 3 is a perspective of a fragmentary portion of the device,

Figure 4 is a view showing the means embodied in the device for holding a pyrophoric element in operative posltion, and

Figure 5 is a similar view of the mechanism shown in Figure 4, an element thereof being illustrated out of operative position.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a casing 1 having the general formof a pistol and comprising a pair of members 2-2. Each of the members 22 has the form of a plate provided with a continuous laterally extending marginal flange 3. The members 2-2 are connected by cross pieces or tie members 4, 5, 6 and 7 so that the flanges 3-3 are arranged in alinement with one another and with their edges abutting one another, as best seen in Figure 2. The members 22 are provided with registerlng openings 88 in the butt portions thereof so that the lighter maybe hung up when not in use. As in the form of the device illustrated and described in my aforesaid patent, the tie member 4 has the form of a pivot element and a' trigger 9 is mounted thereon. The trigger 9 is arranged to extend through an opening in the casing 1 provided by cutting away edge portions of the flanges 33, as at 10. roller 11 carried by the trigger 10 engages aseat 12 in the upper side of an actuating member 13 when the latter is in its forward position and providesa means for moving the latter rearwardly when the trigger is correspondingly moved. The actuating member 13 is provided with an upstanding lug 14 at its rearward end and aretractile spring 15 is arranged to connect this lug with an upstanding finger 16 that is integral with the trigger 9 at the upper end of the latter. It will be observed that the ends of the spring 15 are received in notches 17 and 18 in the lug and finger 16 respectively, whereby the actuating member 13 and the trigger 9 are normally under .The portion of the actuating member 13 extending between the seat 12 and the lug 14 is relatively depressed and is fashioned to provide a track 19 along the upper side thereof.

The connecting member 6 has the form of a stud or shaft and a pinion 20 is rotatably mounted thereon. A fine-toothed striker 21 is also mounted on the shaft 6 and is preferably integral with the pinion 20, although it may be formed separately and rigidly secured to the latter. The pinion 20 is constantly engaged by the forward end of the actuating member which is provided with .teeth 22 meshing with the teeth of the pin- The cross piece or connector has mounted thereon a carrying plate 23 which has the form, best seen in Figures 4 and 5. It is to be observed that the carrying plate has a height substantially equal to the distance between the inner walls of the flanges 3-3 extending from the inner wall of one of the members 2-2 and contacting the actuating member 13 to guide thelatter in its reciprocative movements, whereby the actuating member 13 is prevented from moving laterally of the pinion 20.

The carryin plate 23 has a relatively re duced forward y extending portion 27 which is formed adjacent toits extremity to pro-' vide a vertical socket 28. The latter is positioned directly above the striker 21. A pyrophoric member 29 socket 28 rests upon the peripheral wall of as well as at its ends.

the latter, as shown. It is to be observed that the socket 28 is open along one side An .arm 30 is mounted on the member 5 has a vertical extending portion 31 at its forward end. The vertical extending portion 31 is arranged to project through an opening in the casing 1- formed by cutting away the flanges 3-3, as at 32-32, and is also provided with a for-1 wardly extending finger 33 disposed in the openings in the side of the socket 28 and arranged to bear against the pyrophoric member 29, whereby the latter is maintained in constant operative engagementwith the striker 21, as will hereinafter more fully ap ear.

spring 34 is mounted on the member 5 and is arranged with one end thereof reacting against the lug 24, as at 35, and with the other end thereof reacting against aprojection 36 extending laterally of the arm 30, whereby the arm 30 is normally maintained in the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 4. The lug 26 provides a stop member for limiting the movement of the arm 30 downwardly under spring pressure. The vertically extending portion 31 is formed at its upper end to provide a guard member 37. The latter overhangs the opening formed by cutting away the flanges 3-3 at 32-32 and prevents the entry of foreign matter into the'casing 1. It also serves as a handle which may be grasped to occasion a movement of the arm received in the 39 from the position illustrated in Figure 4 to the position illustrated in Figure 5.

From the foregoin description of the various parts of the. evice, the operation thereof may be readilyunderstood. The lower portion of the trigger 9 may be moved rearwardly, thereby occasioning a like movement of the actuating member 13 and putting the spring 15 under tension. When the trigger 9 has been moved a certain distance, the roller 11 will disengage the seat 12 and will move along the track 19, thereby permitting the actuating member 13 to be moved forwardly rapidly in response to the action of the spring 15 thereon. The teeth 22 are constantly in engagement with the pinion 20 and when t e actuating member 13 is moved forwardly, the pinion 20 will be rotated,'thereby occasioning a like movement of the striker 21. Since the pyrophoric element 29 is maintained in constant contact with the striker 21 by pressure of the spring34 actingon the arm 30, it is obvious that a train of sparks will be produced on account of the close engagement of the rotating striker with the pyrophoric element 29. The sparks will be discharged through an opening provided in the forward end of the casing by cutting away the flanges 3-3, as at 38. It is important to note that 'pyrophoric elements of different lengths may be used and that each element No adjustments are therefore required to insure the effective operation of the device as the pyrophoric element becomes worn in service. I

Whenv it is desired to remove the pyrophoric element 29 for any reason, the guard member 37 is grasped and moved upwardly against-the action of the spring 34 until the finger 33 hasbeen moved above the upper 1 end of the socket 28, as illustrated in ure 5. The guard member 37 is then moved.

laterally until the finger. 33 will rest upon the upper side of the flange 3. The pyrophoric element 29 may then be displaced by inverting the casing 1 and tapping upon the normally lower side of the latter. The casing may then be righted and a new pyrophoric element dropped ihto the socket 28. The guard member 27 will then be moved until the finger 33 is positioned above the open upper end of the socket 28. When released, the spring 34 will occasion a movement of'the finger 33 downwardly in the socket 28 against the upper end of the pyrophoric element, thereby maintaining the latter in constant operative engagement with the striker 21.

Iclaim: I

1. In a device of the character described having a casing and a striker, a carrying member, supported within said casing and formed toprovide a socket with an opened 'will be maintained in operative engagement with the striker 21.

end thereof adjacent the. striking surface of said striker, a pyrophoric element projected into the socket ofsaid carrying member and arranged to engage said striker, an arm pivotally mounted within said casing and provided with an extension arranged to protrude exteriorly of the casing, said extension being formed with an integral finger arranged to enter the socket and to bear upon saidpyrophoric element, and a spring for engagmg said arm to cause said finger to normally press-against said pyrophoric element.

2. In-a device of the'character described having a casing a carrying member for receiving a pyrophoric element and a striker for striking said pyrophoric, element, an

arm pivotally mounted within said casing and having an extension thereof extending exteriorly of said casing, a finger integral with the extension of said arm and arranged to enter said carrying member and to bear upon said pyrophoric element, and a spring for engaging said arm to cause said finger socket positioned with an open end thereof adjacent to the. peripheral wall of the striker, a pyrophoric element projected into i 'the socket and arranged to 'rest upon the peripheral wall ofthe striker, an arm pivotally supported at one end within the casing. and provided with an extension arranged to protrude exteriorly of the, casing, said extensionbeing formed with an integral finger arranged to enter the socket and to rest upon the pyrophoric element,

and spring means arranged to re-act against said arm'to cause said finger to constantly press said pyrophoric element against the striker.

4; In a device of the character described, a casing, a striker rotatably supported within. the casing, means for actuating the striker at will, a carrying member supportedwithin the casing vand formed to provide a socket positioned with an open end therethe socket and arranged to rest upon the peripheral wall of the striker, an arm disposed within the casing and supported at one end for limited movements about the axis of its support and parallel with the axis of its support, said arm being formed with an extension at its free end protruding ex 'teriorly of the casing'and bent laterally adjacent to its extremity, said extension beingformed'with an integral finger arranged to enter the socket and to rest upon the pyrophoric element when the arm is ina certain position, and spring means re-acting against in position to constantly press the pyrophoric element against the striker.

CHARLES F. LARSEN.

of adjacent to the peripheral wall of the striker, a pyrophoric element'projectedinto said arm to normally maintain said finger 

